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What is MYKUWorld?

MYKUWorld is a social networking site for writing and conversing in 4-line poems. Mykus are displayed on boards of 25 – which can be written by one person or many.

What are Myku?

Mykus are 4-line poems. They can be quick and fun to write, yet surprisingly deep and meaningful. They are somewhat like the traditional Japanese Haiku, (pun intended) except more casual. No need for training, or poetic expertise, it’s a new folk art for everyone to enjoy. Rhythms and rhymes? Not necessary, but they add to the challenge. Some myku writers use the challenge forced by the structure to explore poetry in rhyme (interior and ending), rhythm, images and ideas.

What is the MYKUWorld Story?

MYKUWorld is a new reality – a world with islands and locations to explore and populate. It’s your world – a gathering place for your friends to write in poetic conversations that stimulate another part of you. In MYKU World, relax, write what comes to you, and discover what you are thinking and what you can create.

MYKUWorld sprang from the mind of one person, who shared it with his friends, who shared it with their friends – first through letters, then emails, and now: MYKUWorld.

Stay tuned for much to come – more islands, ways to create your own island, games to play on the site, points to win, much more.

Site Map

Coming soon

Site Administrator

admin@mykuworld.com

Site Administrator

admin@mykuworld.com

What if I forget My Password?

At the bottom of any page page, click: Contact Us. We’ll send you a site-generated password.

How do I change my password?

Go to your profile, then Manage and Edit My Profile, then My Account, then Change Password.

Terms of Use

Privacy Agreement

General Tips

• Click the logo to return to the home page.
• Click the back arrow in your browser to go to a previous page.
• The site works best with Internet Explorer 7 and Mozilla Firefox.
• Myku are 4-line poems: in the beginning, keep the lines short. If you click on the title of the Myku, you can view the full lines, if they are too long.
• You can only write in a box that is contiguous to another myku, unless you start a board. Myku are responsive.
• Secure a box to write in by clicking on an arrow in the box. That shows which myku you are responding to.
• If you want to keep a board as “your own” create it and mark it private. Only you will be able to enter.
• Find who is online by searching profiles of your friends.
• Find myku by searching the world, islands, locations, and boards. Click on myku author icons in the lower right corner of the box to see the profile of the author. Go to the author’s profile for more myku and to view their friends, their friends favorite myku, etc. or search under topic or key word.

How should I join or start?

On the home page, click Join. Fill in as much about yourself in the profile as you are comfortable sharing, publicly. Once you create a user name and password, you are ready to go anywhere in MYKUWorld.

How do I find a place to write?

Click the MYKUWorld logo, which will always take you to the homepage. Click on an island. Click on circle, indicating a location. You will see several photos indicating Myku boards. Select a photo or board. Some are private, most are public. You can explore several boards, or start writing.

How do I write a Myku?

From a myku board, go to an open space that touches a written myku. Move around. You’ll see little arrows indicating which myku you are responding to. Click on an arrow. You’ll see a box for writing your myku. Title it if you wish. Tag it if you wish. Write what you were thinking at the time in your reflections box, if you wish. Click submit.

Can I edit a myku?

Yes. Only the ones you have written. In the box where you have just written a myku, you’ll see a pencil icon. Click on it and your writing box will open. Edit and resubmit.

How do I find MYKU to read?

Many ways:

1. From a board (world/island/location/board) you will find myku to read.
2. From a myku box click the author icon. Go to the author’s profile. Read latest or favorite myku.
3. From a profile page, click on friends to view their latest or favorite myku.
4. From search, key word or author.

About MYKU Boards

MYKU Boards are the heart of MYKU World. The boards allow for a non-linear, asynchronous conversation. In other words, several people can respond to one myku. If the board were linear – like discussion boards on the net – you mistakenly would think that the third myku in line was written in response to the number two myku. In a linear world, myku (plural) wouldn’t make sense.

The boards have 25 boxes. The first author begins the board and names it. All others respond to this author, or other myku generated by the community. Eventually most boards are filled – and are retired. In “Search” you can always find a retired board by searching for key words.

Rules of Boards

• First one in names the board and starts the theme.
• Always respond to a contiguous myku by clicking the arrow.
• Remember boards are public unless marked for a specific group.
• Honor other mykuers. All levels of poetic experise are welcome.

How do I start a board?

On an island, pick a location, click on the circle, you’ll see the launch page. Click create a board. Determine if you want the board to be

• Public
• Created by your friends, but viewed by the public
• Created and viewed only by your friends or private to a specific group.

What do the arrows do?

Start a myku by clicking on an arrow in a box, on a myku board. The arrow shows which myku you are responding to. This way, when all 25 boxes are filled, someone can work their way through the myku board, reading the flow of the myku conversation!

What is the purpose of the reflection?

Once you have finished writing a myku, you can add your free-form thoughts about what you were thinking at the time. Reflections give further insight into the author’s experience.

How can I revise my MYKU?

Once you have written and submitted your myku, you can edit it by clicking on the pencil in the myku box. You can edit as often as you wish.

How do I comment on a MYKU?

Select a MYKU. Click on the title. Write a comment in the popup box. Click submit.

How do I know if there are comments on any MYKU?

On the board, you’ll see a star in the upper right hand corner of the MYKU box.

How can I be notified about new comments on my MYKU?

Whenever you receive a comment on one of your myku, you will be notified in your external email

How do I find MYKU authors?

In the myku box, you’ll see the profile icon. Click on the icon. You’ll see an author box popup. Click again and you’ll go to their profile. You can add them to your friends and read their work

How do I save a MYKU to my favorites on my profile page?

On a board, select a myku by clicking on the title. In the open box, click the star to signify a favorite. Now check your profile. It should be there.

How do I save a board to my favorites on my profile page?

On a myku board, look for the breadcrumb navigation. You will see a star. Click on it to signify this board as your favorite. It will automatically save to your profile.

What is the purpose of chats?

Chats are just another way to stay in touch in MYKU World. Great for a group writing at the same time. Great way to encourage a new writer.

What do I do in “profile”?

This is your personal home page. Anytime you want to change your information, do it in “edit”. Add as much or as little information as you wish.

Profile Features:

• Create and edit profile
• Create and edit avatar (photo)
• Create and change password
• Add, delete friends and manage communications
• Email
• Display favorite myku and boards
• Create and manage groups

How do I upload a photo?

In edit profile, click “change avatar”. In Browse, search for your photos on your computer. Click on selected photo and wait for it to upload automatically.

How do I add friends?

On a profile page, under the avatar, click “add xxx to your friends.” Check your profile page to see them under your friends.

How do I delete a friend?

On your profile page, select edit my profile. Under your photo, select manage my friends. On the left side of the avatars, check the box. At the bottom of the page, click remove selected.

How do I manage notifications?

You will receive notifications when a friend writes a myku, comments on your myku or sends you an email from the site. You can opt not to be notified when a friend writes a myku by clearing the box to the right of their photo. Profile/Edit Profile/Manage Friends;

What are Groups and how do they function?

Groups show up in three places:

• your groups on your profile,
• on an island/board, and
• in search functions.

There are many groups: of select friends, or organized by topic. For example, there are family groups who write privately, and there are groups whose members write about Democrats and Cars and welcome all.

Groups are public – meaning they show up in search and on profiles and are open to new members.

Groups are private – meaning they doo not show up on profiles or search and are known and open only to their members.

How do I create a group?

From profile, click: edit my profile. Click: manage groups. Name your group, describe it, and determine if you want it to be:

public – meaning it shows in search and on your profile and it can be joined by anyone, or

private – meaning it does not show up in search and can only be seen by members. Members join by invitation of the creator of the group.

For public groups: View someone’s profile. Go to groups and select one. Click: join this group.

Or go to search, search for groups by topics. (More groups increase the usefulness of this function). You can join any public group.

For private groups: You can only join if you are invited to join by the creator of the group.

How do I find my inbox?

On the MYKU World Header you will always see a notification (near logo) if you have email. Click on it to go to your inbox.

How do I manage my notifications?

In edit my profile/manage my friends, click on the friends you wish to receive notification from when they write myku. You will always receive notification in your external inbox when someone emails you from the site. You will always receive notification when someone comments on your myku.

How do I find someone if I don’t know their username?

1. Search myku islands, locations, and boards. In a myku box, click on the profile icon to see if you recognize their avatar.
2. If you know something they have written, select a key word and search for it. Click on the myku title and go to the board. Search profile icons.

How do I find someone's profile?

From MYKU board, click an author icon. Visit their profile page. Under their avatar, click “add xxx to your friends.”